A Culver’s Classroom Story

When third‑grade teacher Trevor Gabriele stepped into his first classroom at his elementary school he faced a challenge familiar to many new educators: choosing a classroom theme that he’d love and would resonate with his students for years to come.

“I was definitely struggling to figure out a theme that I could be enthusiastic about,” he said. As he brainstormed ideas, he thought about his love of food and Midwest roots. That’s when it clicked.

“What if I did a restaurant kind of idea?” Trevor recalled. “And Culver’s was one that crossed my mind … especially with me being from the Midwest and Culver’s being so based around the Midwest.”

Now, in his second year of teaching, the Culver’s theme has become a beloved fixture of his classroom.

Trevor is quick to recognize the people behind the scenes who helped his Culver’s classroom thrive. He credits family brainstorming sessions, and his sister’s Cricut machine, for helping him bring the details to life. The community also played a role, from a local Culver’s donating free single-scoop tokens to a family friend who owns a Culver’s franchise even sending a box of cups and goodies for his first year. “It was just a neat gesture,” Trevor said. “An act of kindness and support that kind of helped it work year one.”

Students themselves have stepped in, too. One even brought in a Culver’s football and soccer ball because they thought it would be a good addition to the classroom. “It’s fun to see those things happen,” Trevor reflected. “Without a theme, those things wouldn’t necessarily happen.”

But the theme goes beyond classroom decorations. He built the Culver’s spirit into his daily classroom rituals and expectations.

Trevor uses the acronym DELICIOUS to guide classroom expectations like “Doing your best” and “Including everyone,” and when he rings a bell, the class responds in unison: “Welcome to Delicious!”

Students rotate through the “Culver Crew,” taking on roles like tidying up the room or supporting class operations, as a part of building responsibility and teamwork through the theme. Each student gets to wear a Culver’s blue apron on their birthday, and, thanks to a generous local restaurant, receives a free single-scoop token. “That’s been a really fun way to celebrate as a class,” Trevor said. Every day, Trevor writes the Flavor of the Day on his whiteboard, and students get the chance to make as many words as possible out of the letters used.

During the week, students get the opportunity to earn what Trevor calls “kickball minutes.” At the end of each week, Trevor and his students get to play kickball (complete with a Culver’s branded kickball) for however many minutes they earned.

With this theme, Trevor has found success in adding excitement to his classroom and instilling teamwork and community in a fun and engaging way. Some students come into class excited to share their Culver’s experiences. “It's funny, like every now and then they'll come up in the morning and let me know that their family went to Culver's the other day or over the weekend, and they're excited to tell me what they ordered,” he said.

While some students arrive eager to talk about their favorite Culver’s order, others have never tried it before. He loves watching his classroom become a place where they introduce one another to something new. “It’s neat to give them a glance into what Culver’s is,” he said, “and other students being able to kind of rally around that.”

As Trevor continues building his teaching career, his Culver’s classroom will continue to be a joyful anchor that inspires smiles and brings students together. With every single-scoop token, Flavor of the Day word challenge or Culver’s kickball victory, his class shows that a little creativity (and a lot of deliciousness) can turn a classroom into a place kids can’t wait to walk into each morning.